


Love, Thieves, and Fear

by emynn (orphan_account)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Established Relationship, Ghosts, Horror, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-27
Updated: 2011-04-27
Packaged: 2017-10-23 15:19:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/251877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/emynn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blissful newlyweds Harry and Severus move into Godric's Hollow, excited to start their new life together. But when the house goes from being drafty to deadly and Harry falls ill, Severus is forced to confront his fears in order to preserve his chance at lifelong happiness.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love, Thieves, and Fear

  
**Title:** Love, Thieves, and Fear  
 **Author:** [](http://emynn.dreamwidth.org/profile)[**emynn**](http://emynn.dreamwidth.org/)  
 **Rating:** R  
 **Word count:** 13,721  
 **Warning(s):** (highlight for spoilers) * EWE, established relationship, and a _tiny_ bit of domestic violence. *  
 **Prompt:** From the 2010 Snarry-a-thon: A Ghost/Horror Story - Harry has rebuilt the home at Godric’s Hollow, but after Severus begins a relationship with Harry, the ghost of James is hell bent on ridding Harry of Severus. The ghost of Sirius, Lily and Remus included would be interesting whether for good or evil. The ghost of James is not sane – death has not been kind to him.  
 **Summary:** Blissful newlyweds Harry and Severus move into Godric's Hollow, excited to start their new life together. But when the house goes from being drafty to deadly and Harry falls ill, Severus is forced to confront his fears in order to preserve his chance at lifelong happiness.  
 **A/N:** Some elements of this story inspired by the ever-wonderful television show _Supernatural_. Many thanks to FC for doing a fab beta job on such short notice! And thank you to Accioslash for doing such a wonderful job organizing this fest and being such an inspiration! *smooches*

  
  
**  
Love, Thieves, and Fear   
**   


If there were one place Severus Snape never thought he would spend the rest of his life, it would be Godric’s Hollow.

And yet here he was, helping his new husband, who was none other than Harry Potter, put the final touches on the renovations of the place where his worst enemy and his best friend lived, loved, and died.

Honestly. Ever since Severus had woken up in the infirmary following the death of the Dark Lord with bandages around the wound in his neck and Harry clutching his hand, his life had taken a turn for the absurd.

Not that he minded, of course. How could he? After seven years together, Severus had decided that if Harry were insane, he either would have snapped out of it at this point or he would be that way forever. No matter which was true, Severus knew not to give up a good thing when he saw it, and asked Harry to marry him. Harry had immediately agreed, but insisted they not get married until he finished restoring Godric’s Hollow to its former glory. Severus was not particularly keen on the idea, but Harry was rather sentimental when it came to his family, and Severus was not about to give up marrying Harry just because of a house. Finally, after a year of wedding planning intermingled with Harry getting in touch with his inner carpenter, they wed in a simple ceremony by the Great Lake surrounded by their (well, Harry’s) closest friends. After honeymooning in Venice for a month, they were finally moving in to their home. To top it off, Severus’s apothecary was doing exceedingly well, and Harry had established a charitable foundation that kept him busy while simultaneously keeping him out of life-threatening situations.

Severus had health, wealth, and Harry. So what if it wasn’t exactly his dream house? For an ex-Death Eater and all-around bastard, he was doing quite well for himself.

“Does this look straight to you?”

Severus emerged from his daydreaming to examine the portrait Harry was hanging above the mantle. The artist had painted it off a photograph from their wedding day. Severus didn’t like it, as he had the most ridiculous expression on his face, rather as if he were swallowing a still wiggling squid but was enjoying it, but Harry was fond of it. So over the mantle it went.

“Yes. Now, if you’re finished nesting, I’d like to get to some more enjoyable newlywed activities sometime today.”

Harry grinned. “Fine. Hand me a nail, and then we can see about you nailing me, hmm?”

Severus snorted but complied. “You and your juvenile innuendo.”

“Hey, I bet you won’t be complaining about my juvenile innuendo when we’re old and wrinkly and still going at it like rabbits.” Harry took the hammer from his tool belt and took aim, securing the painting with three sharp raps. He made a show of wiping his brow. “Wow, I sure worked up a sweat. I’m afraid with any more physical exertion I may just keel over.”

Severus grabbed Harry around the waist and pulled him flush against his chest. “I’ll show you physical exertion,” he growled into the crook of his neck.

Harry laughed and turned around, resting his hands on Severus’s shoulders. “Now who’s the one with the juvenile innuendo?”

“That wasn’t innuendo, nor was it juvenile. It was – ”

“Shut up,” Harry whispered, and kissed Severus’s mouth so the protests melted away.

Yes, Severus’s life had taken a turn for the absurd. But there was no time to wax poetic about it now. He had a house to christen.

* * * * *

  
Severus awoke with a start. He had dreamed of his schooldays at Hogwarts, something he hadn’t done in years. He supposed on some level he was still processing the fact that he was living in James and Lily’s house and was coming to terms with it. As far as dreams went, it could have been worse, but he far would have preferred to dream of more pleasant, licentious things … such as the hours of lovemaking he and Harry had enjoyed that night.

Unable to resist, Severus laid a soft kiss on Harry’s brow. He was asleep and thus incapable of holding him to this display of excessive sentimentality.

“Mmmm, Sev’rus.”

Of course, he was still Harry Bloody Potter and had to make his life difficult. Caught out, he drew Harry into his arms. “I love you,” he murmured.

“Love you too.” Harry shivered. “Severus? Can you close the window? I’m cold.”

Severus frowned. He had locked the windows himself before they went to bed. One didn’t spend years hiding from both Death Eaters and members of the Order of the Phoenix and then go to bed with opened windows. “I’ll look at it in the morning,” Severus said as he rose to shut it. “Perhaps the house isn’t quite as habitable yet as we thought.”

“Don’t – ” Harry yawned, “ - insult my workmanship.”

“Never.” Severus stretched. “I’m going to get a glass of water from downstairs. Would you like anything?”

Harry closed his eyes. “A sandwich?”

“A sandwich?” Severus snorted. “You’re half asleep.”

“Give me a sandwich and I’ll be up for another round.” Even with his eyes closed, Harry managed to find Severus’s prick and give it an encouraging stroke.

“Incorrigible.” Severus pulled on his dressing gown. “Absolutely incorrigible.”

The sandwich and water were quickly procured; the house was rather chilly at night, and Severus was eager to get back under the covers and warm up with Harry. He made a mental note to add warming charms to his list of tasks to complete in the morning, right after checking all the windows.

A loud crash cut through the silence of the night. Severus turned to see the portrait Harry had just hung on the floor, the frame broken into three pieces. He picked it up and frowned. The canvas itself had split. Severus would have Harry contact the artist the next day; for what they paid for that painting, there was no reason for it to be ruined after one short fall.

Severus shivered. He simply couldn’t take the cold anymore. Picking up his drink and Harry’s sandwich, he headed back to his bedroom.

Harry was sitting propped up against two pillows when he got there. “Oh, good,” he said, reaching for the sandwich. “I’m famished.”

Severus quickly removed his dressing gown and burrowed under the blankets. “Wonderful, since I’m relatively certain there’s an entire pig nestled in between those slices of bread.”

Harry laughed, only managing not to spray his late-night snack when he covered his mouth with the crook of his elbow. “Don’t make me laugh when I’m eating in bed. I’m surprised you even let me bring food in here, what with your neat freak tendencies.”

“I assure you, it’s only because you promised me continued carnal pleasure.”

Harry took another bite. “And because you love me and want me to be happy.”

Severus tugged the blankets around him closer; he was finding it difficult to shake the chill. “I’m only going to allow you to get away with making such maudlin sentiments for another month, you realize.”

“A month, a year, a century. But who’s counting?” Harry threw him a remarkably cheeky grin, the one that always pulled Severus’s innards in a pleasant twist. “It’s okay. I won’t tell anybody you’re a closet romantic.”

“Hmph. Finish that sandwich so we can fuck.”

Harry gulped down the rest of the sandwich and licked his fingers cleaned. “Coarse language doesn’t fool me.”

Severus pulled him up and gave him a playful slap on his arse. “Whelp.”

Harry laughed and arched back into Severus’s touch. “Oh, harder!”

Severus lay back down in the covers. “No, not if you’re going to just enjoy it.”

Harry placed a kiss on Severus’s shoulder. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it. You cause me great amounts of undue pain and suffering.”

“And don’t you forget it.”

Harry let out a contented-sounding breath and curled up against Severus. “We’re going to be happy here. I know it.”

“Oh? Have a good feeling, do you?”

“Yeah. Plus I dreamed of my dad tonight.”

Severus stiffened. “I’d greatly prefer if you did not mention your father while we are in bed together.”

“Don’t be such a baby. It was a good dream. He gave me a hug and told me he was happy to see me again. Even commented on how much I had grown. That’s a friendly sort of dream, even you have to admit.”

“Hmph. I stand by my previous opinion of mentioning your father in bed.”

“Fine, fine. I promise. Now, are you going to continue pouting or are you going to let me suck you dry?”

“I don’t _pout_.”

“Oh, really? Then how come your lower lip is sticking out, so if I wanted to bite it all I would have to do is – ” Harry nibbled attentively at the offending lip, leading into a toe-curling kiss. “There,” he said, satisfied. “ _Now_ you’re not pouting.”

“Suck me, please,” Severus rasped out.

Harry did. And for the rest of the night, Harry was the only Potter on Severus’s mind – just as it should be.

* * * * *

  
Severus cast one final warming charm and sighed. He had spent the entire morning inspecting the house for holes and cracks, but as far as he could tell, Harry and his crew had done an excellent job ensuring the house was completely sealed. There was no reason for the odd drafts that made the hairs on the back of Severus's neck stand up. What's more, they were having unseasonably warm April weather with no winds. It was as if the chill were coming from within.

Perhaps that was one of the consequences of living in an old house, Severus decided. He would grow accustomed to it in time. He had lived in dungeons in bloody Scotland for half his life, for fuck's sake. He could deal with a drafty old house.

The grandfather clock in the parlor began to count off the hours. It seemed to go on rather longer than it should have. Severus could have sworn he counted thirteen chimes …

"Morning."

Severus whirled around, wand at the ready. Seeing it was just Harry padding about in lounge pants, he relaxed. "Don't _do_ that."

"Don't be so jumpy; you knew it was me."

“Regardless.” Severus pocketed his wand.

“Fine, fine. Say, what’s for breakfast?”

“Breakfast?” Severus arched a brow. “It’s noon. I was about to make lunch.”

“Really?” Harry turned to check the clock. “Wow. I would have thought I had only slept a couple of hours. I’m still exhausted.”

Severus smirked. “Thoroughly shagged out, I can only assume. What a dreadful life you lead.”

“I know.” Harry sighed dramatically. “How will I ever survive?”

“Give up the sex?” Severus suggested.

“Hmmm…well-rested, or lots of mind-blowing sex. What to choose, what to choose…”

“Brat,” Severus snorted. He pulled Harry into his arms, feeling utterly content. He and Harry had a passionate relationship; they loved each other fiercely and sometimes fought with just as much vigor. But Severus had a special fondness for these moments of playful, light-hearted banter, which had come much more frequently ever since their engagement. Perhaps knowing you were going to spend the rest of your life with the only man you had ever loved softened a person.

“Severus?”

Severus placed a gentle kiss on Harry’s lips. “I love you.”

Harry smiled. “I thought you weren’t going to disgrace yourself with excessive displays of sentimentality during our honeymoon stage.”

“Well, if _that’s_ the thanks I get for expressing my apprec – ”

The sound of glass shattering startled them out of their embrace. A split second later, a shrieking gust of wind encircled them, nearly knocking Severus off his feet.

“Severus!” Harry shouted.

Then, just as suddenly, the wind stopped.

The sound of the grandfather clock ticking served as a half-time complement to the loud thuds of Severus’s frantically beating heart.

“What the fuck was that?” Harry asked, his voice loud and angry. “That front window is in a million pieces!”

“You’re a bloody wizard,” Severus snapped. A quick _Reparo_ fixed the window, but it didn’t repair the damage to his sense of security.

“I just don’t understand it,” Harry said, walking over to examine the window. “There’s no reason for that window to break. It’s not even windy outside.”

Severus frowned. First the painting, then the clock, and now the window? Something was distinctly Not Right with this house.

“Maybe the magic is still settling in the house,” Harry muttered. “Still a bit restless. The house probably isn’t used to people living in it.”

“You’re the most powerful wizard in the world, Harry,” Severus replied. “Your magic isn’t restless. There’s absolutely no reason for it not to stick.”

“But then why – ”

“Let’s think about it later,” Severus interrupted. He had roughly a hundred possible theories running through his mind, and each one was more unpleasant than the last. There was no need to have Harry worry about it just yet; he’d most likely get restless and forget that he had explicitly stated in his wedding vows that he would cease from engaging in any foolish, life-threatening endeavors.

“I just wanted it to be perfect.” Harry said, his shoulders hunched over and his eyes on the ground. “I worked so hard to have it ready for the wedding, and now… I just wanted us to have a _home_ , Severus. Our own home.”

Severus sighed and drew Harry close to him. A gentle finger under his chin forced Harry to look into his eyes. “I have you to call my own for all eternity. That sounds perfect to me.”

Harry’s soft smile and returning kiss were almost enough to cast the trepidation from Severus’s mind.

* * * * *

  
A week later, Severus was just about willing to accept that perhaps Harry _was_ right, and the bizarre events in the house were just unusual aftereffects of Harry’s magic. Yes, Harry was the most powerful wizard in the world, but he had never really worked extensively on charms to build a house. It was very possible household spells simply weren’t Harry’s strong suit. Severus had examined every centimeter of the house and it was quite safe. They would just have to accept there might be a few months of refining the spells on the house that had already been cast.

Of course, he had to be careful with how he phrased that around Harry. Apparently he was a touch sensitive about the way his project had turned out. They’d had more than a few rows throughout the week, each of them starting due to some minor annoyance about the house. The last one, when Severus had mentioned that a loose floorboard had caused him to trip, Harry had actually drawn his wand.

Severus frowned, remembering the expression on Harry’s face at that moment. He had never seen him so incensed, at least not since the night Severus had killed Dumbledore. It was more than a little disturbing, even more so when Harry collapsed upon himself in near-hysterical sobs. Perhaps he would suggest Harry take a holiday with Ron and Hermione while he continued fixing up the house. Of course, he couldn’t present it that way. He would have to say that it was a shame Harry hadn’t seen much of his friends since they had been married, and perhaps they would appreciate being able to get away…

He sighed. He had never expected married life to be this difficult, especially not when they had been together for nearly a decade. Granted, they had not lived together for longer than a weeklong holiday, but Severus still thought he knew Harry and all his quirks better than this. He wouldn’t go so far as to say it was like he was living with a different person, but he was definitely living with a Harry with a perpetually bad temper. He supposed it didn’t help that Harry slept half the day away and spent the other half complaining about how he was still exhausted.

But somehow, their sex life hadn’t suffered. Severus smirked, remembering the night before when he and Harry had experimented with scarves. He had to admit; being tied up and at the mercy of Harry Potter was _not_ a terribly bad thing.

As if on cue, Harry appeared in the kitchen and sidled up behind Severus. “I missed you,” he murmured, thrusting up suggestively at Severus’s arse.

“I was gone for twenty minutes,” Severus said, but pushed back to more closely feel Harry’s movements. “Hardly long enough to miss me.”

“We’re still newlyweds; I’m pretty sure I’m supposed to miss you if you’re out of my sight for more than five minutes.”

Severus rolled his eyes. “I _do_ need to remove your collection of romance novels. Of all the ridiculous tripe…”

Harry laughed. “Humor me, will you? I’m just trying to make this – ”

“Perfect, I know.”

Harry stepped back. Severus didn’t need to turn around to know his eyes would be brimming hurt. He sighed and turned to face Harry. “I apologize. I had no reason to snap at you.”

Harry shook his head. “No, I’m sorry. I know I’ve been…I can’t even explain it. Jumpy. Not myself. I don’t know what’s gotten into me.”

“Perhaps you need some time away,” Severus suggested carefully. “I have been rather monopolizing your time. I’m sure your friends are quite jealous.”

“Are you trying to get rid of me?” Harry asked, clearly distressed. “We’ve barely been married a month, and already you’re sick of me?”

“Harry, stop it,” Severus said sharply. “You’re getting worked up over nothing.”

Harry sat down on the sofa, taking deep, heaving breaths. “I know. I know. I’m just so fucking _tired_ , Severus. I wonder if I’m getting sick. I feel like I don’t have any control over my body. My mind is in such a fog.”

Severus placed his hands on Harry’s shoulders, gently massaging the tension out of them. “I have to brew a new batch of my antivenin. I’ll make some Pepper Up for you as well while I’m at it. If you don’t improve, we’ll contact a Healer.”

Harry nodded. “Thanks. Wait, your antivenin? I thought you had a full vial of that.”

“Hmm. I couldn’t find it this morning. I must have misplaced it while we were unpacking.”

“But you never misplace anything. You’re fastidious that way, especially with your potions. And the antivenin! Severus, the Healers said you need to take that every week or you could end up back at St. Mungo’s!”

“I’m well-aware of what the Healers said,” Severus ground out. “I have been taking the potion for nearly a decade.”

“I’m just worried, Severus. You need it _today_! And I don’t understand how it could have just disappeared. I _know_ I saw it our first day here. Do you think the house –”

“The house did nothing,” Severus said firmly. “I’m sure I will find the vial five minutes after I finish brewing its replacement. Now, Harry, please go to bed. I fear you’re becoming a bit hysterical.”

Harry stood up, misery etched in every line of his face. “I’m sorry, Severus. I swear I won’t always be like this.”

“Hmph. See that you aren’t. I find that I miss my cheeky, energetic husband.”

Harry smiled, but there was no joy in it. He planted a quick kiss on Severus’s cheek. “Wake me when you’re done?”

Severus nodded, trying hard not to feel as if his Harry were very far away.

* * * * *

It was rather soothing to return to brewing potions. It was the first time Severus had been in the lab at Godric’s Hollow, and he took plenty of time to admire all the work Harry had done to make it an exceptional place to brew. He was quite certain Harry had ordered every item in the _Toil and Trouble_ supply catalogue in triplicate. What’s more, everything was expertly arranged and organized, making it not only a luxurious lab, but a practical and efficient one as well. Severus was well aware there were some billion-Galleon brewing companies that would be salivating at the thought of working in this lab.

Sometimes it paid to be the husband of the Chosen One.

With the Pepper Up simmering, Severus began to get the ingredients ready for his antivenin. It was a relatively simple potion, but at certain stages in the process it was highly toxic. Severus set up a few precautionary protective spells on himself just to be safe.

Brewing this potion was something he hoped he would no longer have to do. The Healers insisted there was no way to completely eradicate Nagini’s venom from Severus’s system, but he was convinced they just hadn’t tried hard enough. He always meant to make researching an improvement to the potion to be one of his side-projects, but he had become perpetually distracted while wooing and shagging Harry over the years. The thought of spending time away from Harry to work on a potion that was already functioning well enough as is just seemed ludicrous. But now…

Severus shook his head. Harry was just coming down with an illness. What with how drafty the house was, it was no real surprise. He eyed the supply of Pepper Up; perhaps he would create a second batch, just to be safe. With his luck, he would come down with the illness as well, and he had no illusions of his character while sick. Harry might turn into a moody, melodramatic twit, but Severus was Satan in a grey nightshirt. The two of them would destroy each other in two weeks flat.

A slight breeze whistled through the room. Severus frowned, perturbed. A draft in any other room was a nuisance; in here, it could be dangerous. He would have stopped to investigate at that very moment had the potion not been at a volatile stage. He would just have to work through it and examine the room immediately after.

The soft bubbling of the potion let Severus know it was time to move onto the next stage. Carefully, he added three lacewing flies and watched them slowly disintegrate into the boiling liquid. The wind rippled uncomfortably around him. He drew into himself, trying to retain some of his own warmth.

A lilting laugh made him jump.

Severus looked up the stairs to see if Harry were there; he didn’t know why he bothered, given that it certainly was not the laugh of his husband. There was something mocking and unnatural about it, and every cell in Severus’s body was screaming that something was not right in the house.

And yet it sounded so _familiar_ …

“Who’s there?” he called out. He hated himself for how shaky his voice sounded. “Show yourself! You are in my house. You will show yourself to me!”

The laugh only grew louder.

“GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!”

“Severus!”

Severus whirled around, surprised to see Harry standing at the foot of the stairs. “Harry. It’s only you.”

“Of course it is. Who else would it be?” Harry looked concerned, not to mention positively dead on his feet. “Is everything all right?”

Severus shook his head. His mind felt like it was completely on edge and yet foggy at the same time. Before the vertigo overtook him, he sat down on a bench. “I must have been away from my potions too long. The fumes should not be affecting me this way.”

Harry walked over to Severus and rubbed his shoulders. “I’m sorry. Are you almost done?”

Severus nodded. “Shouldn’t be more than ten minutes. I hope I didn’t wake you?”

“No,” Harry replied. “I woke up on my own. Had a bit of a nightmare, actually.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah…it was strange. At first it started off really nice. My dad and I were flying here, in the backyard. And then somehow it changed.” His hands stilled on Severus’s shoulders. “I couldn’t control my broom. I just kept flying higher and higher and faster and faster, hurtling toward the sun.”

“Ah, my very own Icarus,” Severus said, forcing some levity into his tone. Harry’s dreams disturbed him greatly, especially given the growing unease he had living in this house.

“Who?”

“Philistine,” Severus snorted, and rose. “You should leave. The potion is rather volatile at this stage.”

“All right. I’ll go fix you some lunch?”

“Something light,” Severus agreed. “I’m not sure my stomach can handle much at the moment.”

Harry opened his mouth to speak, but a distinct buzzing noise distracted them. They both turned, puzzled, to see a Snitch flutter down the staircase and pause right between their heads.

“I didn’t realize you had unpacked your Quidditch gear already,” Severus said, not taking his eyes from the excessively bright object.

“I didn’t.”

The Snitch’s wings beat frantically against itself as it hovered before them. Then, in the blink of the eye, it flew over to where the cauldron sat on the flickering flame and dropped right into the brewing antivenin.

“HARRY, RUN!” Severus shouted, already moving toward the cauldron. “NOW!”

Harry stood transfixed by the sight. “It’s glowing,” he breathed.

It was more than glowing. The entire lab was alight with an unnatural brilliance, so luminous it caused Severus’s eyes to burn and tear up. He would be safe with the spells he had cast upon himself earlier, but Harry was completely unprotected. Not pausing to think, and only seeing Harry standing dumbly before him, he threw himself on top of him, landing painfully on the floor. With one hand covering Harry’s nose and mouth, he used his other to extinguish the flames under the cauldron and then to dispel the fumes. Harry struggled underneath him to be free, but it was only when the room appeared to be completely back to normal that Severus allowed him back up.

“Bloody hell,” he whispered, wiping the sweat from his brow. “Let’s get you to bed. I don’t know how much of the fumes you inhaled. You might have a difficult night.”

Harry stared at him, his eyes as hard as flint. “You.”

“Yes?”

“You tried to kill me.”

Severus took an involuntary step back. “What the hell are you talking about? I saved your fucking life! The gold in that Snitch made that potion toxic enough that the vapors alone could slay a dragon in less than a minute!”

“And you just happened to be fine?”

“Because I cast protective spells on myself when I first began the potion! For fuck’s sake, Harry, listen to yourself! Why would I ever _want_ to kill you?”

“I don’t know!” Harry shrieked. “I don’t know! I just knew there was you, and the potion, and that Snitch – ”

“That’s another thing. When have you ever known me to have me to have a Snitch? Quidditch is your domain.”

“I don’t fucking know!” Harry shouted. He grasped the sides of his head with both hands, as though he were in great pain. “I don’t know! STOP IT!”

Severus caught Harry just before he hit the ground. He collapsed under the weight, holding Harry tightly even as his body was wracked with tremors.

“Harry,” he whispered into his ear. Harry’s skin was cold and clammy to the touch. “Harry, please.”

Harry’s body stopped shaking. Severus closed his eyes, not yet willing to see if Harry had stopped breathing as well.

“Severus?”

Relief flooded through Severus. “Harry.”

“What happened?” Harry tried to move in Severus’s arms, but seemed to be unable to muster the strength. “What’s wrong?”

“You don’t remember anything?”

Harry shook his head and winced. “No. Just coming down here to see how your potions were coming, and then a bright light?”

Severus’s heart pounded heavily in his chest. There were two possibilities here. The first was that Harry had inhaled more of the fumes than was safe and was suffering from temporary hysteria and a lapse of memory.

The second, which Severus was finding to be more and more likely, was that there was some malevolent spirit in the house that wanted him and Harry gone.

These strange incidents, they were just too much to be mere coincidences anymore. This was not just an old house’s quirks or sloppy magic settling; this was something unnatural and evil.

And now, with Harry lying weak-limbed in his arms, Severus was terrified.

“There was an explosion,” Severus said slowly. “You surprised me and I dropped an extra lacewing fly into the cauldron. It was at a volatile stage.”

Harry closed his eyes. “I’m sorry, Severus. I should have known better.”

“It’s no matter.” Severus draped Harry’s arms around his neck. “Come. Let’s get you upstairs. You’ll probably be incapacitated for the rest of the day.”

“Not sure how that’s different than the last week, but fine,” Harry said. “But your potion. You need that tonight.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Severus said firmly. “I want to see to you first. Once you’re asleep I’ll make a new batch.”

Harry’s head lolled against his chest as Severus carried him up the stairs and into their bedroom. Severus gently tucked him into bed and cast a few simple diagnostic spells on him. Harry’s body temperature as a bit low and his pulse slow, but he appeared to be stable. Severus cast a monitoring spell on him and sighed.

What he wouldn’t give to go back to the day he and Harry were married. It was hard to believe that was barely a month ago. Everything had seemed so simple then. And now? Severus wished more than anything he could go back in time and be his usual stubborn self and insist to Harry that he absolutely would not live in Godric’s Hollow.

He shook his head. He never could have done that, not after he had given his heart over entirely to Harry. If Harry wanted something as simple as his first home to be happy, Severus was powerless to deny him.

And now they were being assaulted in their own home.

“Sev’rus?”

Severus tore himself away from his melancholy thoughts and looked at Harry. He looked so pale and waxen laying there underneath the blankets, as though the entire bed could just swallow him up. A lump rose in his throat.

“I’m here, Harry.”

Harry looked like he was trying to nod. “Good. Good night. Love.”

Severus leaned down and kissed Harry on the lips.

Harry was asleep before he even drew away.

Severus sat down on his side of the bed and rubbed his head. There were too many things to consider, all revolving around how to get out of this God-forsaken house. Of course, that was assuming the spirit was attached to the house and not to them.

He would have to do some research. It was too bad he and Harry hadn’t gotten around to ordering books for the library yet. He didn’t dare leave Harry alone for that long. Perhaps he could find something in the few books he had brought with him.

Severus stood to head downstairs to investigate his collection. A small flash of light caught his eye.

The vial of his antivenin was sitting glistening on his bedside table.

* * * * *

The house was completely silent as Severus walked about, save for the ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner. He was desperate to hear that disembodied laugh again. He could follow it then and trace it to its source.

Succumbing to weakness, he found a bottle of wine he and Harry had received for their wedding and poured himself a glass. He knew he needed all his wits about him in case he had a surprise encounter, but at the moment, he didn’t bloody care.

He attempted to narrow down his suspects. If a spirit haunted the house, it would have to be that of somebody who had lived or died there. The obvious answer, of course, was Lily or James.

“Sweet Lily, you wouldn’t do this, would you?” he whispered. “Not even after I – ”

He took another swallow of his drink. That was something he couldn’t face just yet. What if his Lily had never forgiven him for causing her death and for causing her only son to grow up an orphan? Surely she would not hold a grudge from beyond the grave. She wouldn’t want him to lose the happiness he had struggled so long to find.

“But I would deserve it,” he whispered. “Oh, Lily. I’m so sorry.”

The laugh was louder this time.

“Stop it,” he bit out. “Stop it.”

 _Oh, Snivellus. Poor, greasy, ugly Snivellus._

Severus hurled his glass at the mantle. The red wine dripped down the stones like rivulets of blood. “Potter!”

 _Not worthy. Defiler. Liar. Thief. Murderer._

“Get out,” he said, his words coming in heavy gasps. “Get out of my house!”

 _Mine. My house. Mine._

A wind blew throughout the room, strong enough to rattle even the furniture. Then, just as quickly as it came, it was gone.

Severus fell to his knees.

He had no defense. Malevolent spirit or not, it spoke the truth. And that was the hardest part to bear.

He didn’t move for the rest of the afternoon.

* * * * *

  
“You bastard!”

Severus sat up from where he had been shaking on the floor. His legs unsteady beneath him, he leaned against the arm of the sofa for support.

Harry came hurtling down the stairs, a cloak hanging on his arm. “That fucking _bastard_!”

“Harry? What’s wrong?”

Harry stopped dead in his tracks. He stared straight at Severus, his eyes frantic and wild. “You!”

“Yes, me,” Severus said impatiently. “Now what is it? Shouldn’t you be in bed?”

With an animalistic snarl, Harry drew back his fist and struck Severus square in the face.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Severus rubbed his aching jaw. It didn’t appear to be broken, but he would certainly be bruised.

“I don’t know how you did it,” Harry rasped. “I don’t know how you got down here, fully dressed. But I swear, if you think you can get away with this – ”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“I saw you with him!” Harry shouted, red-faced. “I saw you! How can you just stand there and look at me, when just five minutes ago you had your cock in his – ” He drew back his fist again, but this time Severus was prepared and caught it.

“Harry. I’ve been down here all afternoon. I swear it.”

Harry’s fist was practically pulsing in Severus’s grip. Slowly, however, he lowered his arm. His gaze now was less wild and more confused.

“But I saw you.”

“Saw me where, Harry?”

“In the guest bedroom,” Harry said. “With somebody…I don’t know who it was. But I had woken up and heard moans, so I went to see…and you were _with_ him.”

Severus closed his eyes. The spirit’s motive was as plain as day: it did not want Harry and Severus to be together. And given that Severus was growing more and more certain that this was the spirit of one James Potter, he was not terribly surprised.

He couldn’t bring himself to tell Harry just yet. Not when Harry was as weak as he was. He was about one day away from bringing him to St. Mungo’s. Telling him that there was a possibility the ghost of his father was a murderous spirit could very well send him over the edge. Until Severus knew for certain what he was dealing with, he wouldn’t say a word.

“It may have been an aftereffect of the potions accident earlier today,” Severus said in what he hoped was a soothing tone. “Hallucinations are actually quite common after such a serious inhalation.”

Lucidity finally returned to Harry’s eyes, to be quickly replaced with horror. “Severus, your face!”

Severus arched a brow. “You’ve known what I looked like for years now. It’s rather too late now to claim you’d somehow been deceived.”

Harry shook his head. “How you can joke about this? I _hit_ you, Severus.”

“Hmm. See that you don’t repeat it.”

“Severus.”

“You cannot possibly be held accountable for your actions,” Severus said firmly. “Those were very powerful fumes you inhaled. I should have checked you more carefully and taken more precautions.”

“Stop making excuses, Severus. What I did was unconscionable.”

“Before this hallucination, were you not feeling particularly anxious and not in your normal character?”

“Yes, but – ”

“Would you have hit me had you been in your regular state?”

“Never,” Harry asserted.

“Fine then. Let’s move on.”

Harry launched himself at Severus and held him tight. “I’m so sorry, Severus. I don’t deserve you.”

 _Isn’t it the other way around, old Snivellus?_

“Hold still,” Harry said, and with a whispered spell, Severus felt his face heal. “Now I can do this.”

Severus ignored the laughter. He wouldn’t let it touch what he had with Harry.

* * * * *

  
Severus stretched out on the floor, rubbing his eyes. The past three days had been as close to Hell as he could imagine, and given all he had seen in his life, that was saying quite a bit. Harry fluctuated from being too weak to speak in full sentences to being energized with a violent rage directed at Severus. The house taunted him with chilling winds and mocking laughter. And sometimes, the worst times, Severus could swear he heard the house speaking to him.

 _Filthy old man._

 _Liar._

 _Manipulator._

 _Leave. Leave. LEAVE!_

If only it were that simple. After one particularly bad night, when Harry had awoken screaming and clawing at Severus’s chest, Severus had decided he’d had enough and had dragged Harry to the front door. But getting him to step a foot over the threshold was impossible. Even if Harry had been remotely agreeable to leaving, the cyclonic levels of the winds swirling around the house would have rendered an escape impossible. Attempts to Apparate with Harry in his arms proved to be similarly fruitless.

They were trapped in their own home, a home that was slowly killing Harry and attempting to make a quicker job of doing in Severus.

Severus had completely given up on keeping the house in any semblance of order. The winds blew nearly continuously now, usually strong enough to shift the furniture. The parlor, where Severus spent most of his time, suffered the worst damage; with overturned chairs, glass shards on the floor, and deep cracks in the walls, it certainly looked as though a tornado had struck.

The bedroom, where Harry was confined, stayed mostly mercifully intact.

Severus wasn’t a religious man; however, he was now even considering finding a priest to bring in to perform an exorcism. This _thing_ that was in their house…it was far different than any supernatural being he had ever experienced. None of the ghosts at Hogwarts had been this malicious. For all his obnoxious behavior, Peeves had never done anything more dangerous than causing a student to stumble, and while the Bloody Baron was intimidating, he never hurt anyone.

Severus was afraid to sleep in this house.

He was terrified he would enter the bedroom and see Harry completely insane or dead.

He wasn’t sure which would be worse.

“Fuck you, Potter,” he rasped. “Had to be a bastard up until the end and beyond, didn’t you? But even I didn’t think you could stoop this low. Don’t you care that you’re hurting your _son_? Not even just his happiness, but his _health_?” His voice rose to a near-shout as his anger increased. “You fucking coward, you won’t even _show_ yourself!”

 _He’s not happy._

“He was!” Severus shouted. “Before you came and ruined it!”

 _I was here first._

“You’re dead, you fucking bastard. You died!”

 _Doesn’t seem to matter, does it? I’m still here._

“You’re not!”

 _Are you so sure?_

Severus’s legs were moving on their own accord. He certainly wasn’t the one walking toward the mirror by the front window, the lone item still hanging on the walls. But there he was, standing directly in front of it.

His own reflection didn’t greet him.

James Potter looked straight out him, his hazel eyes as cloudy as a stormy night on the sea, his smile as gleaming as a reaper’s scythe. He wiggled his fingers at Severus in salutation.

 _Hello._

Severus felt the piercing pain in his hand before realizing he had struck the mirror. Hissing in anguish, he stumbled to the kitchen to find a towel to staunch the bleeding before he went about healing it.

“I will destroy you, James Potter,” he whispered as he pulled shards of glass out of his knuckles.

The laughter echoed throughout the room.

* * * * *

  
Severus approached his research with renewed vigor. He had shed blood over the ghost of somebody as worthless as James Potter. It was simply unacceptable. He would have this ghost out of his house so that he and Harry could get back to enjoying their wedded bliss properly.

He closed his eyes, suddenly overcome by a sense of grief. In all that had transpired, he had nearly forgotten that it was not so very long ago that he and Harry had been over the moon with happiness, so in love it should have made him sick. It all seemed so long ago.

But now was not the time to wallow. He had finally found a book that might be helpful among his belongings. Entitled “Where Ghosts Walk,” he thought it might be a bit too fantastical and not factual enough for his purposes, but where there was legend, there was usually truth. And right now, it was the best he had.

He snorted. Wanting to be factual about haunted houses. Once upon a time he would have scoffed at researching anything remotely related to divination. Desperate times, he supposed.

Severus opened to the first page. _Love, thieves, and fear make ghosts. – German proverb._

“Hmph. Ridiculous. I certainly did not love or fear that blasted Potter. These Germans clearly didn’t know what they were talking about.” Nevertheless, he flipped through the pages until he got to the chapter on Sinister Spirits.

 _While most ghosts are friendly enough, or really just boring, others exist purely to torment those who still walk the earth. This may be due to a grudge on the part of the ghost, or a belief he was wronged in his life and needs to seek vengeance. This can be a frightening experience for those who encounter these ghosts. **Are you frightened, Snivellus?**_

Severus rubbed his eyes, but the words remained the same. Heart thudding painfully against his ribcage, he continued.

 _Unfortunately, most legends on how to be rid of these ghosts are, sadly, purely legends. **But why would you want to be rid of me, Snape? Such a rude houseguest you are.** Carrying salt or mint in your pocket will only leave your robes filthy. **Not that being filthy would bother you, would it?** Most talismans are frauds. Burning the remains of the deceased is successful; the problem arises when the remains cannot be found. **They will never find your remains. I pity the future generations of Hogwarts schoolboys. Poor blokes will always have to have a greasy git lust after them. You’ll be the stuff of legends: Snape the Slimy Seducing Specter.**_

Severus slammed the book shut. It was one thing to hear voices. It was quite another to _see_ those words being displayed in black and white in front of him. How the hell was Potter doing this?

Not willing to be bested by Potter in any form, especially not a book, he opened the text again at random.

 _Some scholars believe that ghosts are spirits who have not yet “crossed over.” As such, they are trapped where their energy and memories are most heavily concentrated. In most instances, these ghosts should not be feared. They will simply continue carrying on their day-to-day activities. **Would you like to be a ghost, Snivellus? Would you like to spend all eternity being as much of a waste of space as you were when you were living? I can help you with that. Just say “please.”**_

“Never,” Severus breathed. “Fuck you, Potter. You can’t do anything to me.”

 _There are many haunted places in the United Kingdom. One, of course, is Hogwarts, where it is estimated the 734 ghosts reside during the school year. **I can do anything I want to you.** Up to a thousand more journey there in the summer. **Leave now.**_

“I tried to leave. I can’t. Do you think I _want_ to stay with you forever, you fucking bastard?”

 _One such ghost, Nearly Headless Nick, has said that he regrets his decision to become a ghost. **You tried to leave with Harry. You can’t take Harry.** “I was scared,” he admits. **Harry is mine. He belongs with me.**_

“He is not yours,” Severus snapped. “He is my husband. You barely even knew him.”

 _The Bloody Baron refused to comment for this publication. **You took him from me once. You killed us, killed Lily and me. It is my time. You will not take him from me again.**_

“Where is Lily now?” Severus asked. “What did you do to her? She would not stand for this.”

 _It is important to note **Lily is too kind. She will thank me one day.** that ghosts are only imprints of real people. **She will see that a pervert like you does not deserve to be around our Harry. He despises you, fears you. Filthy freak that you are, you see that as love.** They retain all the characteristics of the individual, but are not the actual same person they were when they walked among us on the mortal plane. **Get out. Never come back. Get out!**_

Severus threw the book at the wall. There was no wind in the room, but it felt as if he were being sucked inside a vacuum. The furniture and remaining items in the room rattled ominously. Severus tasted blood and realized he had bitten straight through his lip.

He had to do something. They couldn’t continue living like this. He wasn’t even certain how or why he had let it carry on as long as it had. He knew, without question, if he remained here, he would end up dead, and Harry would remain in that practically comatose state. There was no more time to research or get to know the ghost. He needed to get out.

But how to do it?

A thought struck Severus. Potter didn’t want him to leave with Harry. If he left by himself…

Could he even consider that? Could he dream of leaving Harry alone with a mad ghost, one who had proven multiple times that he had no qualms about causing fear or great harm to others? He, the man who had nightmares even before moving into Godric’s Hollow of great harm coming to Harry?

Could he really leave Harry alone, when Harry could barely even get out of bed?

It was the absolute last thing he wanted to do. Every instinct he had was yelling at him to stay with Harry in his time of weakness and fight from within, without ever leaving Harry alone.

But he was slowly coming to the realization that doing just that would never work. Severus needed to leave Godric’s Hollow, seek help from the outside world, and come back. He was fairly certain Potter’s ghost wouldn’t hurt Harry once Severus left. Harry’s lethargy was most likely a twisted way to get to Severus. Of course, it was working – seeing Harry look like a wax effigy and knowing it was because of him wracked Severus’s body with guilt.

Now, though, it was time to do something about it. He had to fight.

A laugh filtered through the air.

 _How cute. Snivellus wants to fight._

“I swear it, Potter,” Severus screamed. “You will leave us alone.”

The rattling ceased, filling the room with deafening silence. For a moment, Severus thought he had somehow magically defeated James, that all he needed to do was firmly tell him to leave them alone.

But then Harry walked down the stairs, still looking pale and wan but a little more energized, and Severus knew. Of course Potter wouldn’t want to frighten his son. He would just make Severus look like a madman who was overturning furniture and screaming in an empty room. It was typical behavior for James Potter as a teenager, and it was typical behavior for him now as a ghost.

Harry frowned, his gaze taking in the room’s surroundings. “Severus? Did something happen?”

Severus couldn’t help it. He laughed, laughed so hard he could scarcely breathe. His hands on his knees, he heaved deep, gasping breaths, trying to regain some control over himself. “Did something happen? We’ve been terrorized by the ghost of your father for weeks and you want to know if something happened.”

“My father?” Harry asked shakily.

Severus picked up a chair and set it straight. He motioned for Harry to sit. “Harry, please.”

Harry looked puzzled. “I’m fine. I’ve been in bed all day. I’d like to stand.”

“You have been very ill the past couple of weeks. If what I say shocks you, I’d rather you already be sitting. Please, Harry.”

Harry didn’t look happy, but complied. “So what’s this about my father?”

Severus paused for a second, struggling with the right words to describe the situation. He certainly had no love lost for James Potter, but he didn’t want to hurt Harry unnecessarily by describing what a vicious son of a bitch he was. They had had many fights about that in the past, and those had been instigated by minor slurs against the dead man. Now Severus was going to call him an evil spirit. That wouldn’t go over well on the best of days.

He decided it was best to take a direct approach.

“Harry, this house is most certainly haunted, and I believe the ghost inflicting the damage on the house is your father.”

Harry frowned, but didn’t look like he was about to pummel Severus. That was a positive sign. “How do you mean? It doesn’t seem haunted to me.”

“That’s because you’ve been in bed most of the time, which I’m sure is somehow another effect of this bloody ghost,” Severus said, exasperated. He began to tick off his fingers. “The odd chill and winds in the house, my potion disappearing and then reappearing exactly where I left it, the Snitch that appeared out of nowhere, you thinking you saw me with another man – ”

“I thought you said that was because I was hallucinating because I was sick!”

“You were sick because the blasted ghost ensured you breathed in noxious fumes! I wouldn’t be surprised if he planted those visions in your head as well.”

Harry was shaking his head. “No. No, I don’t believe it. My dad wouldn’t do that. Severus, the house is just old. And people misplace things and have accidents. It’s not because of a ghost.”

“I hear your father’s laughter, and I hear him speaking to me, threatening me,” Severus continued. “And earlier today he invaded the book I was reading and made his messages to me appear in the lines of this text.”

Harry raised an eyebrow. “Severus, perhaps you need some rest.”

“I don’t need any bloody rest. I need your father to leave us the fuck alone!” Severus kicked over a table that was overturned on the floor.

Harry reached for Severus’s hand. Severus winced at how cold it was. “What does he say? When he…talks to you?”

“Usually that I’m a filthy pervert who doesn’t deserve you.” Severus fought against the urge to pull away from Harry’s unnaturally cold touch. “More than a few demands to leave the house if I value my life. That you don’t love me.”

A slow smile spread across Harry’s face. “Well, he’s right, isn’t he?”

Severus started. He tugged his hand away, but Harry’s grip was unbreakable. “Harry?”

“Oh, poor Severus. For such a smart man, I’m surprised it took you this long to figure it out. So desperate for any sign of affection, you mistook it for true love. How sad.”

This time Severus was able to pull his hand away. “What the hell are you on about?”

“I never loved you,” Harry said. “I wanted to _fuck_ you, of course. Call it boyish curiosity. Had to see what my greasy old professor had in his pants. And I have to say, having you completely at my mercy when I tied you up was…inspiring.” He licked his lips.

“You don’t mean that,” Severus said. “This is just because you’ve been ill. This is the house talking.”

“I’ve never felt better, Severus,” Harry said. “They say the truth sets you free. I must say, I do agree.”

“Why would you do this, then?” Severus asked. Every word he forced out felt like he was coughing up nails. A part of him still wanted to believe this had something to do with the house, but this was Harry standing right in front of him speaking, and there weren’t even any winds circulating throughout the house. He was experiencing his worst nightmare, the fear he had only recently overcome: that Harry had never truly loved him and it was all an elaborate prank designed to humiliate him. “Why would you say you love me and marry me?”

“To keep you with me,” Harry said serenely. “You are a good fuck, after all. There’s the added bonus of everybody _knowing_ it’s _me_ you crawl to at night, desperate, begging for me to blow you. Severus Snape, world’s ugliest bastard, just wanting to get his cock sucked by the Boy Who Lived.” He grinned. “It’s been great fun.”

Severus took an involuntary step back. He didn’t know this Harry. He certainly didn’t _trust_ this Harry. It was no longer of whether or not he could leave him. Now it was how quickly he could escape and tend to his aching heart.

“But I suppose the time for fun and games is over,” Harry said wistfully. “You should probably listen to the ghost. Father knows best, isn’t that right? Leave. I have no further use for you here.”

“You’re just as bad as your father,” Severus snarled. “You malicious little beast.”

“It always comes back to that, doesn’t it?” Harry asked. He sounded almost bored. “You always have something to say about James. You know, I always thought you loved Lily. But perhaps I was wrong. Perhaps really you just wanted to fuck James.”

Severus slapped him.

Tears sprung to Harry’s eyes. Gone was his cruel, mocking visage. In its place was hurt and confusion. “Severus?”

Severus didn’t even look at him. With only the clothes on his back and the wand in his hand, he walked out the front door, slamming it behind him.

* * * * *

Spinner’s End had certainly seen better days. Not that it had ever been well kept, at least not for any of Severus’s adult life, but it was especially filthy now, given that Severus hadn’t set foot in it for six years. He couldn’t decide what to do about it. He currently had no other place to stay and he didn’t like living in such wretched conditions, but to go about cleaning it and acquiring furniture that wasn’t filled with doxies would just be confirming the fact that he and Harry were no more.

It had been a week, but the pain of his last few moments with Harry still felt as fresh as a knife wound to the heart. Like the sad, pathetic pup both Potters had claimed he was, Severus still held out hope that it was all a tremendous misunderstanding, or, better yet, he had dreamed the whole sorry affair.

The week had dragged, to be sure. He had no desire to do anything at all, and spent several days almost entirely in bed. The mundane necessities of life just seemed so _difficult_ without Harry. Why would he want to go to the market to buy food when there was nobody to come home to butcher a simple recipe with? Why would he bathe if the one he loved despised him, and he had no desire to even talk to another human being again? Why would he even get out of bed when the only person he wanted to see was completely out of reach?

All were thoughts that, had a seventh-year voiced them, Severus would have hexed six ways from Sunday. But they pervaded his mind with such ferocity that he could think of nothing but how he had been deceived by that pointless emotion he had been foolish enough to believe was love.

Today was a relatively good day. His stomach was being rather insistent that it had gone far too long without food, and Severus found he cared just enough to fix some toast for himself. He was spreading jam on his second piece when he heard a knock at his door.

He had his wand at the ready in a heartbeat. Nobody should have known he was here; anybody who was in some sort of contact with him would believe he and Harry were enjoying their newlywedded bliss at Godric’s Hollow. It was why he had chosen to come back to this shack instead of staying at The Leaky Cauldron – he was less likely to draw attention to himself. It wasn’t as if anybody came to Spinner’s End.

Severus peered through the peephole. It was Hermione Granger. A quick spell confirmed what his eyes saw. Cautiously, he opened the door.

“Yes?”

“Severus.” Hermione looked a bit stunned, as if she hadn’t expected Severus to answer the door. Well, that made two of them. “Mind if I come in?”

Severus knew Hermione well enough by now that saying no would be a fruitless endeavor, so he decided to save himself the breath and hold the door open for her. “Take a seat in the kitchen. I don’t trust the furniture in the parlor.”

Hermione nodded and followed his instructions. Severus sighed. He should have known one of the noble Gryffindors would have appeared at some point. Silly him for not expecting it.

“How did you know I was here?” he asked.

“I didn’t,” Hermione said. “I’ve been trying different places all day. I never thought you’d come back here.”

“Hmm. And why are you here?”

Hermione’s lips curved into something that could have been considered a smile if she hadn’t looked so sad and tired. “You don’t play around much with social niceties, do you?”

“Never. It’s far easier to just get to the point.” Severus picked up his piece of toast. Not that he had any appetite whatsoever now, but he didn’t want to appear as nervous as he felt. “Now, why are you here?”

“Why, Harry of course.”

“He is none of my concern now,” Severus said, his eyes narrowing. “I leave him in your and Weasley’s capable hands.”

“I’m just trying to understand what happened. You’re lucky I’m the one who found you and not Ron. He would have hexed first and asked questions later.”

“Of course he would have. My husband tells me he never had any feelings for me and only wanted to humiliate me, and then I have to endure further indignity at the hands of his fellow fools. How could I have ever forgotten my place in this equation?” His hand felt sticky and he realized he had crushed the toast in his fist.

Hermione looked confused. “That’s not what Harry said happened.”

“Of course not,” Severus hissed. “That manipulative wretch would never have said anything to portray himself in anything less than an angelic light. He’d just make me out to be the liar while he plays the hapless victim.”

“That’s not what I’m saying,” Hermione said. “It just doesn’t fit.”

“Ah, you always were the genius. So tell me exactly how all this should have played out according to your reasoning. I am _fascinated_ ,” he spat.

“Harry contacted us about a week ago,” Hermione said, apparently ignoring Severus’s outburst. “I cannot tell you how surprised Ron and I were to see his head in our fireplace. We thought we wouldn’t hear a peep from either of you for a month.” Her cheeks flushed a bit at that, but she continued. “He said he had been ill and he had a feeling something wasn’t right. The last thing he remembers is you slapping him and leaving, and that the house was in ruins. He didn’t even find your note for another hour.”

Severus started at that. “Note? I didn’t leave a note.”

Hermione nodded, looking extremely satisfied. “I thought not. The magical signatures didn’t match.” She pulled out a small roll of parchment and handed it to him. “Harry found this in the parlor, right on top of the portrait from your wedding day.”

Severus snatched it from her. “Potter,” it read, “I have had enough. No arse, no matter how lovely, is worth putting up with your pathetic, spoiled behavior. I was wrong to ever think you would be different than your father. Fortunately my new lover comes with none of the baggage I was forced to endure with you. Keep your blasted house and everything of mine in it; I have no need for it now. Do not attempt to contact me. It will only lead to embarrassment for you. Snape.”

“I would never,” he rasped. “Never. I didn’t write this.”

“I know you didn’t,” Hermione said. “I told you, the magical signatures didn’t match. Unfortunately, whoever wrote it knows your handwriting. And with the way you left, of course Harry believed it.” She cast a pointed glare at Severus. “Of course, you realize once we sort this out, I will have to slap you myself for that.”

“Hmph. So what do you suggest?”

“I believe you have a theory,” Hermione said slowly. “Harry mentioned something that he thought he remembered you going on about a ghost.”

“He didn’t believe me,” Severus snapped.

“But I do,” she replied. “That magical signature was like nothing I had ever seen before. No living creature wrote that note. And Harry is clearly unwell. He must have lost a stone since your wedding, maybe more, and his eyes go from being utterly wild to flat and dead.” Her gaze softened. “And I know you and how deeply you care for him. I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. I’m having trouble believing any of that was an act, or that any living being could do something to destroy that bond you have.”

Severus studied her face carefully. She seemed to be truthful in her desire to help. However, it would help to …

“There’s no need for Legilimency, Severus.” Hermione said. “I promise you, I just want to get to the bottom of this.”

Severus got up and poured two glasses of water. He handed one to Hermione and took a long gulp from the second. “I will tell you everything I know. You will listen. Do you have a quill and parchment?”

Hermione pulled the items from her purse. “Always.”

Severus had to give Hermione credit; he talked for more than an hour and she didn’t interrupt once. Once he finished, she quickly glanced over her notes and looked back up, meeting him square in the eye.

“We need to destroy this bastard.”

Severus released a breath he didn’t realize he was holding. He knew the tale he was telling was difficult to believe. That wasn’t even mentioning the fact that Gryffindors were disgustingly loyal to their families, even when they didn’t deserve that privilege. But Hermione Granger would be a powerful ally to have on his side.

“I think the missing piece here is Lily,” Hermione continued. “James seemed to imply she was a ghost as well. But you say you haven’t detected her presence at all?”

Severus shook his head. It was one of the things that hurt the most, a sad fact he kept replaying in his head during the lonely nights when he couldn’t bear to think about Harry any longer. He knew he was a major reason why Lily had died. But he honestly felt that she would have eventually approved of his relationship with Harry once she saw that he had changed and truly loved him. That she never appeared to stop James from terrorizing them rubbed vinegar on Severus’s open wounds.

“That’s definitely something to look into then. She has to be there somewhere.” She made a note on her parchment. “Then we have to figure out how to destroy James’s remains. That will be tricky. We know where they are, but they are so heavily protected it will be difficult to get to them. I’ll do some investigating right away to find out what spells are on their graves.” She finally looked up from her notes. “Are you going back to the house now?”

“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Severus said. “James clearly doesn’t want me there. I wouldn’t want to risk bringing more harm to Harry. Not to mention the fact I’m sure Harry doesn’t want to see me either.”

“He’s heartbroken,” Hermione said softly. “Completely devastated. He doesn’t have any memory of the strange events that have been happening in the house, or he thinks they’re dreams, so he doesn’t understand what went wrong. You should try to tell him again about James. Perhaps you’ll get through to him this time.”

Severus’s traitorous heart rose again. This was the sign he wanted, that Harry still loved him. He tried to will it back down, but found he lacked the conviction.

“Yes,” he finally replied. “I will.”

* * * * *

~*~  
The door at Godric’s Hollow stuck when Severus attempted to open it, but he didn’t allow that to stop him. At this point he would have torn the door off the hinges with his bare hands if he had to.

 _I told you not to come back._

“Too bad,” Severus snarled. “I didn’t listen to you when you were alive, and I’m sure as hell not listening to you when you’re dead.” This time, when he pushed at the door, it opened easily.

Harry was sitting on a chair in the parlor, the same chair Severus had sat him in when he tried to tell him about James. It was the only piece of furniture upright in the room. He was staring blankly at the wall in front of him.

“Harry,” Severus said, almost afraid to break the silence.

Harry turned, and Severus gasped in dismay. His eyes glowed unnaturally bright against the paleness of his nearly translucent skin. Harry could have been a ghost himself.

“Severus?” Harry whispered hesitantly. “You came back?”

Severus rushed to Harry and held his hands. They were still cold to the touch, but he didn’t worry about that now. “Harry. Quickly. You have to believe me. Your father is haunting this house. We need to leave immediately.”

“My father?” Harry frowned. “But I thought he was happy to have me here.”

“Too happy,” Severus said shortly. “Now, Harry. We don’t have a second to waste.”

But Harry was looking at him askance, skepticism lacing every line in his tired face. “Why should I trust you? You left me.”

“Harry, I will explain all of this to you once we leave, I promise,” Severus pleaded. “We need to leave now.”

“I don’t understand –”

“I love you, you foolish boy,” Severus said harshly, taking Harry’s face in his hands. “I need you more than I need my next breath. But more than that, I need you _safe_. So if this is all over and done with and you still don’t want to be with me, that’s fine. I will sort it out on my own. But I need to know that you are safe and I can’t have that when you are in this house. So please, Harry, _please_. Let’s leave now.”

Harry’s reserve broke and he threw his arms around Severus. “You came back,” he said, his voice sounding rough and filled with sobs. “I thought you were never going to come back.”

“I could never be without you for very long,” Severus said, trying not to become too overtaken by how sublime it felt to be back in Harry’s arms. He needed to have his wits entirely about him if they were going to attempt an escape while Harry was still lucid.

“What a good little bitch. You come when you’re called.”

Severus pushed Harry away from him. The oily harshness of his tone sent chills up his spine. He quickly pulled out his wand.

“I didn’t expect you to come back, but now that you’re here, I suppose we can play.” Harry ran a hand down Severus’s robes, paying extra attention around his crotch. “Wouldn’t that be nice? Would you like to play fetch, or…beg?”

“Get away from me,” Severus said.

“Why, that’s not very good of you. You won’t earn your treat.” Harry tutted softly.

Then his eyes flashed hazel.

“Harry!” Severus shouted. “Harry! Fight him!”

“Fight who, Severus?” Harry asked, his smile angelic. “Fighting is naughty.”

Severus did his best to ignore Harry’s words. They weren’t his. His Harry was there somewhere and he was sure he could reach him. Harry had proven by age fourteen that he could fight off the Imperius Curse. Severus hoped fighting off a ghost possessing you required similar skills.

“Fight him, Harry!” he continued screaming. He reached out and grabbed Harry’s shoulders and shook him hard. Harry-with-James’s-eyes looked surprised at that. “You are Harry Potter. You are my husband.” Severus shook his shoulders again. “You _love_ me. James Potter does not belong in your head. Get him out, Harry! FIGHT HIM!”

Harry’s entire body seized up and then went still. His head slumped against Severus’s chest. For a horrifying moment, Severus thought the possession had killed him. Then Harry’s head snapped back, his eyes open wide, and a strong stream of air gushed forth from his mouth.

Severus held onto Harry tightly as he wheezed.

“Severus,” he breathed. “What happened?”

Severus started to answer but was distracted by a movement in the far corner of the room. The air that Harry had expelled was slowly shifting and changing shape.

James Potter was standing in his parlor.

His grip on Harry tightened. “Stay away, Potter,” he growled. “You have no right to be here.”

“I certainly think I have more right to be here than you,” James said. His voice, although no louder than a normal speaking voice, seemed to be coming from all directions of the room. He took a step closer to Severus and Harry. “I was here first, after all.”

Harry turned to look at his father’s ghost. Severus was pleased to note that Harry didn’t move away from him. “What are you doing here?” he asked.

James flashed Harry a brilliant grin. “Why, to be with you, of course. Harry, we’ve been so cheated of our time together. I was so happy to see you had returned. We can finally be a real family.”

Harry’s arm around Severus became so tight he could scarcely breathe, but Severus didn’t quite care at the moment.

“Have you been doing all this?” Harry asked. “Have you been the reason I’ve been so sick? And Severus says you’ve been terrorizing him. Is that true?”

“It’s all in good fun,” James said, holding up in hands in an appeasing gesture. “As for your sickness, well, I’m sorry about that. A ghost only has so much energy, you see. And I had a lot I had to accomplish, what with moving actual objects and manipulating the words in books and showing you exactly what was in store for you if you stayed with Snape; the little slut would fuck any fit young thing who crossed his path. I’m sorry, Harry, but it’s true. Now, normally a ghost couldn’t handle all that activity. Typically we tend to just talk and taunt. But I found that if I resided in you for a bit, I could do all that and more. You don’t mind sharing a bit of your energy with your old man, do you, son?”

Harry was shaking his head. “No. I can’t believe you. I _love_ Severus, don’t you see? I moved back to this house so I could be with him.”

“Be with _him_?” James spat. “Harry, he is completely unworthy of you. He’s just a filthy pervert who lusts after young boys. That’s not even taking into account that he’s a Death Eater and the reason your mum and I were killed. Don’t you see, Harry?” James said beseechingly. “He is the reason we were never together. He took that away from us. Don’t you think he should be punished?”

“Leave him alone!” Harry shouted. He finally stepped free of Severus’s grasp, much to his dismay. “Voldemort is the reason you’re dead. Severus has paid for his mistakes a thousand times over. He’s the best man I know.”

“Harry,” Severus muttered. “Now is not the time. Let’s just focus on getting out of here and not antagonizing him.”

“You’re pathetic, James!” Harry shouted. “Pathetic! Don’t you care at all that I’m _happy_ with Severus? That I _love_ him? Or are you just too self-absorbed to think of anything but yourself?”

“Harry,” Severus repeated. “No.”

“It’s a shame,” James said, shaking his head sadly. “He’s brainwashed you. One day you’ll see it, Harry.” He took out a wand from his robes. It looked disturbingly solid. “This may hurt for a bit, but you’ll thank me later.” He pointed the wand at the ruined wedding portrait on the floor. “ _Incendio_.”

Severus watched in horror as the portrait burst into flames that rapidly ate at the wooden structures in the house. He and Harry both had their wands out to extinguish the fire, but it only grew larger and the room quickly filled with heavy smoke.

“Severus!” he heard Harry scream. “Get out! It’s me he wants. Just leave!”

“Shut up!” he shouted back. “I’d never – ” a billow of smoke reduced him to a coughing fit. “I’d never leave you here again.” He cursed as yet another one of his attempts to douse the flames failed. He was beginning to lose hope. When he had been writing his marriage vows, Severus had sworn to Harry that they would live and die together. He just never imagined dying would come so soon.

It wasn’t what Severus imagined dying would be like. He had always heard it was peaceful, like coming home. This was painful and ugly and he just wanted to get it done with. But the hallucinations seemed to be promising. Because standing before him, flames nicking at her transparent skin, was Lily.

The roar of the fire didn’t seem as loud anymore. It wasn’t as hot, either.

“Mum?” Harry whispered.

Severus gaped. If Harry saw her too…

“My boy,” Lily said. Likes James’s, her voice echoed from all corners of the room. “And Severus.”

“Lily,” Severus breathed.

“What are you doing here?” James shouted. “How did you get out?”

Lily’s eyes flashed as dangerously as Harry’s did at their worst. “You were so busy draining our son’s energy you haven’t been using as much of mine. I’ve been storing it, waiting.” Her glare turned even icier. “How could you do this, James? Do this to our _son_?”

“I’m doing this for _us_ , Lily,” James said. “How often have you said that you wanted our family to be together?”

“But it wasn’t meant to be, James,” Lily said. Her voice sounded less angry now and more sad. “Not for a long time. And now, not ever.”

James looked frightened. “What do you mean? Lily, what are you doing?”

Lily looked fondly at Severus and Harry. Severus felt his body fill with warmth. “My love to you both. Be well. You will be happy together, I know.” She raised her arms and tilted back her head.

Then several things happened all at once. James’s body lost its form and was reduced to a burst of bone-chilling air. The flames and smoke coiled and spiraled together and tangled with the gust of wind, which hurtled wildly toward Lily.

Calmly, she closed her eyes and opened her mouth, and swallowed it all. For a second, she glowed as brightly as the sun, and then vanished without a sound.

Harry and Severus were left staring, panting, at where Lily had once stood.

“Harry,” Severus said, his voice husky.

Harry rushed toward him, and Severus immediately wrapped him tightly in his arms.

This time, he would never let him go.

* * * * *

“Wherever we go next, I insist that it has less sand. I have particles in crevices I didn’t even know existed,” Severus griped.

Harry laughed as he turned the faucet to fill up the bath. “I believe that can be arranged.”

Following the fire, Harry and Severus had decided to take a second honeymoon. There had simply been far too much to face back in England, and they both needed the time away. Harry, in particular, needed to go someplace warm where he could recuperate from being possessed for close to a month. They had enjoyed their time in Greece so much that they decided to take a third honeymoon in Australia, leading to their fourth one in Egypt. They had been traveling and relaxing for nearly three months now and loving every second of it.

Severus would never have wished for the horrors they had faced at Godric’s Hollow, but it still filled him with great pride that his relationship with Harry could survive such struggles. It was a true testament to their love for each other that they emerged from it relatively unscathed. But now that they had passed that test, Severus was content to simply enjoy being in Harry’s company again.

“I was thinking,” Harry said as he gathered towels for them. “Maybe it’s time for us to go home.”

Severus stilled. They hadn’t yet broached the topic of home since leaving England, and in fact talked very little about their time living in Godric’s Hollow. “Oh? Well, I suppose it is safe now.”

After talking with Hermione and doing a very thorough investigation of the house, they had determined that it was entirely free of any spirits. Their theory was that just as Lily had sacrificed her life so that Harry could live so many years ago, she had sacrificed her spirit to save Harry and Severus and allow them to have a happy life together.

Harry and Severus had both needed time to grieve. For Severus, it was like losing Lily all over again. On the days when he believed there was an afterlife, he liked to imagine he would see Lily again and seek her forgiveness. To know that was no longer possible, and because of James Potter, was heart-wrenching. But he took comfort in knowing that not only had she already forgiven him, but had given her blessing for his marriage to her son. So many times when James’s ghost was terrorizing him, he had wondered why Lily was not protecting him. He never should have doubted her.

Harry experienced similar struggles, but also had to learn how to reconcile the ghost of his father with what he had always imagined. Severus tried his best to be comforting. There was clearly no love lost between him and James Potter, but even he had to admit that James was not that violent when he was alive. He told Harry that it was possible that James had gone mad in death, and at times, he actually believed it.

Harry turned off the water and stepped into the tub. “I was thinking maybe we shouldn’t return to the house.”

“Oh?” Severus took off his robes and stepped into the tub behind Harry. “I thought that was your dream, to go back to where it all started and start our own lives together.”

Harry leaned backed against Severus and rested his head on his shoulder. “I don’t know. Maybe I had it all wrong. Godric’s Hollow already has so many memories. It doesn’t seem quite right to cram ours in with all the others. It would get a bit crowded.”

Harry’s tone was light, but Severus could see from the tension in his shoulders that he was nervous.

“Harry, it’s entirely up to you.” Severus rubbed soothing hands up and down Harry’s chest. “If you want to go back, I will. Your father’s ghost is gone. Nothing will hurt us there.”

“I know. I know.” Harry sighed. “And on some level, I’m not scared. But on another, I just don’t want to risk it. When I think of how close I was to losing you and didn’t even realize it…”

Severus gently turned Harry’s face toward him and kissed him lightly on the lips. “Nothing will take you from me. Especially not a ridiculous ghost.”

Harry smiled. “I’m glad. But still, I think perhaps it’s best if we look for a new place, someplace where we can start fresh and build all new memories, memories that will just belong to us.”

Severus nodded. “That would be acceptable. Where were you thinking?”

“I owled Hermione last week and asked her to look into it. There’s a great patch of land in Devon. It’s lovely, out of the way, with a small lake and lots of trees.” Harry was speaking quite quickly by the end, as he always did when he was excited about something. “I think we should buy it.”

“And build our own house?” Severus asked.

“Yes. Completely ours,” Harry said firmly.

“Hmm. It would be some time before we could actually move in. We may need to continue our travels around the world.”

“That’s fine with me,” Harry said. He rubbed up against Severus, whose prick twitched in interest. “What do you think about Spain?”

Severus reached for Harry’s prick and gently tugged at it. “I think it sounds perfect.”

Harry moaned and relaxed even further in Severus’s arms. “I love you.”

Yes.

Absolutely perfect.  


  


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